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Boat bow weight led to death of guardsman

PLAINVIEW, Ark. — Investigators say an Arkansas National Guard soldier on a two-week leave from Iraq drowned after the small boat he was in took on water from having too much weight on its bow.

Sgt. Michael Lee Chenoweth, 29, of Plainview died in August on Petit Jean River east of Centerville. His cousin, Preston Chenoweth, 47, was also in the motorless, 14-foot aluminum boat when its capsized.

An Arkansas Game and Fish Commission report released Friday concluded the boat took on water because the two men sat on the boat’s bow, along with their fishing tackle.

“The weight shift of both men, Michael rowing and Preston turning to look over the other shoulder, caused the boat to take on water,” leading to the boat to capsize, the report concluded.

Preston Chenoweth told investigators the men launched the boat after 7 p.m. Aug. 28. He said the boat was about 100 meters from shore when it capsized, throwing him into the water. He said he was able to touch bottom and turned around to watch as his cousin “thrashed around in the water for a few seconds and went under.”

The report shows the deepest water near where the craft overturned was 8 feet. No life jackets were on the boat.

Michael Chenoweth was on a rest and recuperation leave from Iraq when he was killed. He was on his second tour of Iraq, according to the Arkansas National Guard.

Chenoweth was deployed with Battery C, 2nd Battalion, 142nd Fires Brigade, based in Ozark. The battery was mobilized in February, and is scheduled to return home in early 2008.